Proverbs 29:1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday once again! Time to sing the TGIF Song: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.’ Oh my people, I hope we all sang along with great gusto, in an expectant, faith-filled frame of mind, because it’s only with the Lord’s help that we can successfully navigate five days of work, with only two days of rest in between. Now remember that we also have our part to play in the proceedings, so don’t just go all crazy, then mumble and complain that the Lord didn’t help, as so many of us are wont to do. In those cases though, it’s usually because we didn’t help ourselves sufficiently. We can’t expect God to do everything for us, that’s why He gave us freedom of choice and all the other things we so desperately desired. But unfortunately that can lead to two extremes; where we either sit and wait for Him to do everything, or we go out and try to do everything ourselves without asking for or seeking His input. Both extremes are fraught with dire risk my people. We need to find a happy balance between waiting on God to do His part, and then doing ours. Sadly though, some of us never learn that art of balance, and today we’ll continue talking about those of us who continually go out and do whatever we want with no input from God. That’s a foolish way to live, for as Cousin Sol so wisely stresses: ‘He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.’ And we all know that’s true, since we’ve all experienced it in one form or another. But why do we insist on being so stubborn and hardhearted eh, especially when we know the awful price we can pay for such behaviour? Who knows? I certainly don’t. It must be something in our sinful make up that causes such irrational behaviour. We saw that yesterday with God’s chosen people, the Israelites, who several times turned away from God and paid stiff prices. But yet they continued doing it. Oh Friends, we’ve also seen from the Exodus, where the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart against releasing His people, that disobedience to God doesn’t work. (Ex.4:21) Regardless of the punishment the Lord wreaked on Egypt, Pharaoh refused to let them go. Not until after about nine plagues, that of darkness, did Pharaoh eventually relent. ‘And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.’ (Ex.10:24) And even then, Pharaoh wanted them to leave their livestock behind, but Moses, with the Lord’s advice, outsmarted him and Israel left with all their possessions and much wealth from the Egyptians. My people, the Lord God Jehovah is the most powerful entity in the universe, and until we, His mortal creations fully understand and accept that, there’ll always be hell to pay. Look at the ungodly, dissolute manner in which we now live; quite a turn away from that of our parents and grandparents. Yes my brethren, in just two generations we’ve gone from a basically godly society to a depraved, ungodly one. The God of our fathers now plays a much smaller role than ever before in our family lives, our laws, our institutions, even our churches. Just look at all the negative stuff that’s befalling us: The richest nations are experiencing economic disaster and widespread poverty. The most medically and technologically advanced generation is being blighted by all kinds of illness and diseases. We’re even seeing the return of some that were eradicated long ago. Now look at all the natural disasters that are taking place simultaneously all over the world. I’m not saying that they are all God’s retribution, but Friends, we must be doing something wrong somewhere; including polluting the atmosphere, destroying the earth itself and living more for the rotting things of the world than for the eternal things of God. If we read Jeremiah Chap.5, we’ll surely believe He’s talking about our current society. There he refers to the perverseness (wrong directions, wickedness), the adultery, the impiety (ungodliness, lack of reverence) and the spiritual and civil corruption that was prevalent in the Jewish society of his time. Oh Friends, we’ve taken it almost to the nth degree, and if we allow our hardened, stubborn hearts to keep us going in that evil, unwise direction, one day we’ll eventually pay, and in a big way too, just like Israel and all the other ungodly societies. The Lord’s not going to put up with our deliberate ungodliness forever. That much is guaranteed. Therefore Friends, like the wise believers we are, and for our progeny’s sake, let’s learn from the mistakes of those who got too big for their breeches and forgot the Creator of the universe. Remember, rebellion and disobedience against the Lord, does not pay, and can eventually lead to oblivion. And we certainly don’t want that for our society, so let’s go out there and show the unbelievers the truth of God’s Word, and make them see sense, as the old people would say. Till tomorrow then, God willing, go in peace my brethren, and faithfully spread God’s Word, and His unconditional, everlasting LOVE! It’s the only way for our society to survive. Much LOVE!…a society’s continued prosperity…is directly proportionate…to it’s obedience to God…
Oh Friends, it’s Friday once again! Time to sing the TGIF Song: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me through another week of work. It hasn’t been easy, but with your help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.’ Oh my people, I hope we all sang along with great gusto, in an expectant, faith-filled frame of mind, because it’s only with the Lord’s help that we can successfully navigate five days of work, with only two days of rest in between. Now remember that we also have our part to play in the proceedings, so don’t just go all crazy, then mumble and complain that the Lord didn’t help, as so many of us are wont to do. In those cases though, it’s usually because we didn’t help ourselves sufficiently. We can’t expect God to do everything for us, that’s why He gave us freedom of choice and all the other things we so desperately desired. But unfortunately that can lead to two extremes; where we either sit and wait for Him to do everything, or we go out and try to do everything ourselves without asking for or seeking His input. Both extremes are fraught with dire risk my people. We need to find a happy balance between waiting on God to do His part, and then doing ours. Sadly though, some of us never learn that art of balance, and today we’ll continue talking about those of us who continually go out and do whatever we want with no input from God. That’s a foolish way to live, for as Cousin Sol so wisely stresses: ‘He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.’ And we all know that’s true, since we’ve all experienced it in one form or another. But why do we insist on being so stubborn and hardhearted eh, especially when we know the awful price we can pay for such behaviour? Who knows? I certainly don’t. It must be something in our sinful make up that causes such irrational behaviour. We saw that yesterday with God’s chosen people, the Israelites, who several times turned away from God and paid stiff prices. But yet they continued doing it. Oh Friends, we’ve also seen from the Exodus, where the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart against releasing His people, that disobedience to God doesn’t work. (Ex.4:21) Regardless of the punishment the Lord wreaked on Egypt, Pharaoh refused to let them go. Not until after about nine plagues, that of darkness, did Pharaoh eventually relent. ‘And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.’ (Ex.10:24) And even then, Pharaoh wanted them to leave their livestock behind, but Moses, with the Lord’s advice, outsmarted him and Israel left with all their possessions and much wealth from the Egyptians. My people, the Lord God Jehovah is the most powerful entity in the universe, and until we, His mortal creations fully understand and accept that, there’ll always be hell to pay. Look at the ungodly, dissolute manner in which we now live; quite a turn away from that of our parents and grandparents. Yes my brethren, in just two generations we’ve gone from a basically godly society to a depraved, ungodly one. The God of our fathers now plays a much smaller role than ever before in our family lives, our laws, our institutions, even our churches. Just look at all the negative stuff that’s befalling us: The richest nations are experiencing economic disaster and widespread poverty. The most medically and technologically advanced generation is being blighted by all kinds of illness and diseases. We’re even seeing the return of some that were eradicated long ago. Now look at all the natural disasters that are taking place simultaneously all over the world. I’m not saying that they are all God’s retribution, but Friends, we must be doing something wrong somewhere; including polluting the atmosphere, destroying the earth itself and living more for the rotting things of the world than for the eternal things of God. If we read Jeremiah Chap.5, we’ll surely believe He’s talking about our current society. There he refers to the perverseness (wrong directions, wickedness), the adultery, the impiety (ungodliness, lack of reverence) and the spiritual and civil corruption that was prevalent in the Jewish society of his time. Oh Friends, we’ve taken it almost to the nth degree, and if we allow our hardened, stubborn hearts to keep us going in that evil, unwise direction, one day we’ll eventually pay, and in a big way too, just like Israel and all the other ungodly societies. The Lord’s not going to put up with our deliberate ungodliness forever. That much is guaranteed. Therefore Friends, like the wise believers we are, and for our progeny’s sake, let’s learn from the mistakes of those who got too big for their breeches and forgot the Creator of the universe. Remember, rebellion and disobedience against the Lord, does not pay, and can eventually lead to oblivion. And we certainly don’t want that for our society, so let’s go out there and show the unbelievers the truth of God’s Word, and make them see sense, as the old people would say. Till tomorrow then, God willing, go in peace my brethren, and faithfully spread God’s Word, and His unconditional, everlasting LOVE! It’s the only way for our society to survive. Much LOVE!…a society’s continued prosperity…is directly proportionate…to it’s obedience to God…
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